Tips on Buying Antiques

Are you looking for value as you furnish a new home, or redecorate a tired interior? Consider using antiques instead of new furniture, fixtures and display items--rather than new things, which often cost as much, or more, and lose two-thirds of their resale value the moment they leave the store.
You need not deprive yourself of the pleasure of living with fine antique furniture. Not only does it come in all price ranges, but you can easily learn where to find it and how to select wisely.
Many potential buyers are deterred by their lack of knowledge, some bad experience they, or their friends, may have had in the past with dealers, or by an impulsive and costly choice.
Here are ten basic guidelines to becoming a confident collector. Each starts with a question that buyers who want to prevent being taken need to ask, and reputable dealers should be happy to answer. If a dealer will not, or cannot provide clear answers, don't buy from him/her.

1. Does this antique fit my purpose?

When a buyer is considering a particular piece, s/he should ask the dealer if the piece is appropriate for his/her purpose. For example: Antiques can be bought for investment, for daily family use, or for decorative purposes. A piece which has had major restoration may not qualify as an investment. A set of delicate, museum-quality Hepplewhite chairs, for instance, might not be the best choice for a family with active, young children. If the piece is primarily decorative, then age will be less important than high style and fine craftsmanship.

2. How does this antique rate in terms of quality of design, color and finish?

The range of quality is limitless and will directly affect price. For example: You are about to buy a Chippendale chair. The dealer should be willing and able to tell you how this chair rates on the wide spectrum of workmanship, styling and condition--and why.
When looking at an antique, the first thing we notice is its lines. Design is of greater importance than age or condition, because it gives the piece the harmony and beauty that elevates it from mere furniture to art. Stand back and look at it as a whole, to evaluate the success of its design.
The next most important attribute of an antique is its color. A fine piece should have a lovely, warm, mellow color, with the depth of a patina that only comes with years of natural aging. Here, too, you have a wide range of choices--from some depth of color and texture, to the truly fine patina a well crafted antique acquires after two centuries.
Stripping can ruin an antique--although a professionally done refinishing may enhance it. A fine antique is generally French-polished--a procedure of applying shellac and alcohol with a pad which must be done by a professional. When done properly, with careful removal of old wax and dirt first, this procedure will not spoil the patina, which comes from the wood itself. Find out what kind of finish is on the piece you are considering.

3. How is the piece constructed and from what woods is it made?

Learn to recognize the basic woods, as identification is important in determining quality of construction and age. The open grain of oak has a very different look from the close grain of mahogany. Knowing the difference will help you to spot a drawer, for example, made in 1900 from one made in 1800.
Typically, English antiques with drawers have sides and bottoms of oak or pine and are constructed with small, even dovetails to join the four sides. The use of mahogany for drawer linings didn't come into common practice until late in the 19th century.
Sometimes you will even see a drawer with a plywood bottom being passed off as 18th century!! If the drawer has been stained inside, be wary (see Q. 4). American pieces generally have drawer linings of pine, a wood also used in England. But larger, cruder dovetails and chamfered drawer bottoms may help identify the piece as American and not English. Open the drawers of the piece you are thinking of buying, to make sure that all the drawers are made the same way-- and ask the dealer to show you how they are put together.

4. How do I know I am looking at an authentic period antique, or at a 19th or 20th century reproduction?

If, for example, a piece was made during the reign of Queen Anne, or shortly thereafter, it should be referred to as Queen Anne Period. If it was made at any other (later) date--be it 1820, or 1980--but still made according to the Queen Anne design, it is a Queen Anne Style piece. So, when you see or hear the word "style," know that it indicates a reproduction--even if it is 100 years old. Be even more careful of the dealer who doesn't bother to include the word at all--the piece may be described simply as "Queen Anne, circa 1840," which is an incorrect and deceptive description.
Identifying the age of a piece requires years of experience, but one element you should look for that is very hard to simulate is patination. Not to be confused with patina (i.e., the rich color created by the natural aging of polished surfaces), patination is the natural discoloration of wood in the areas which have not been polished--such as the back, drawer linings, or the flyrails on tables. Areas exposed to air will be dark with the dust, dirt and oxidation of time. The sides of a drawer in the upper fitted section of a desk will be relatively clean because air and dirt do not reach them. The sides of a drawer in a chest which was opened daily, will show dirt and oil stains from the repeated touch of fingers, as will the ends of flyrails.
Beware of stained wood. If a drawer is stained, ask why. Stain is often used to cover up lack of age. Turn a drawer which has been stained upside down and look for a telltale line of new wood which will become evident as the bottom begins to shrink away from the ends.

5. What repairs and restoration has it had?

Nearly every 18th century piece of furniture surviving today has had some repair work. Inlay pops out as it shrinks, chair legs dragged over dirt and stone floors wear down, pieces of molding come loose when old glue gives out, etc. You need to be aware, however, that some repairs can have a profound effect upon the value of a piece. For example, has a leg been replaced? Look for a splice, or a difference in color. Turn the piece upside down and look for newer wood, patches, screws, modern nails. If the surface is too perfect, be wary.
Many pieces have been re-veneered and passed off as original. It is fine to buy a piece which has had work done on it, but you should know what has been done before you buy--and your dealer should point out these repairs to you.
If the piece you want to buy needs to have something done to it before you will be happy with it, tell the dealer you want the work done by a reputable craftsman--and make sure you have a solid agreement on who will pay for the polishing or repairs.

6. How do I know if it is a made-up piece, a marriage,
a cut-down or expanded original, or an out-and-out fake?

A reputable and knowledgeable dealer is your best protection against unwittingly purchasing such a piece.
However, you should be aware that a whole industry has been at work in England manufacturing or "improving" antiques--converting large chests-on-chests, for example, into more desirable and saleable small bachelors' chests; changing (fireplace) pole-screens into candlestands; adding upper bookcase sections to secretaries; converting chests of drawers into kneehole desks, etc.
Careful examination may reveal many alterations. On a piece with an upper and lower section, look at the sides to be sure that the graining and color are the same. The back will tell all, as color and method of construction must be the same on both halves, or it may be a "marriage"--the combining of two elements that did not start out life together. Look for evidence of the use of machine tools, such as band-saw marks on the bottoms of drawers, as these will date the piece, or part of it, after 1850.
Watch out for the use of stain or aniline dye to simulate age.

7. Is this antique guaranteed to be as represented?

Every piece in a reputable shop should be clearly described, dated and priced.
But what if you buy a piece, believing it to be 1790, and a subsequent appraiser points out to you that the piece is a later reproduction?
The answer is, you should have recourse. A dealer should refund your money if the piece was misrepresented to you--whether deliberately or by error.
Before you purchase an antique, ask for a guarantee that the dealer will stand behind his/her description and dating of it. If a dispute arises later, have two qualified, objective professionals appraise the piece in writing. Take the appraisal, the piece and your invoice to the dealer and ask for your money back.
Ignorance on the part of the dealer is as much a sin as is dishonesty.

8. How do I care for my antiques?

Extremes of humidity are as hard on wood as they are on people. A humidifier in winter and air-conditioning in summer will help to equalize climatological extremes.
Surfaces should be dusted with a clean, soft cloth or a feather-duster. Wax should be applied no more than every six months. Oils and sprays should never be used.
Ask your dealer if any special care is necessary for your piece(s). More care must be taken, for example, with a veneered dining table than with a solid-top one, since veneer is more susceptible to heat damage.

9. May I take the piece home on approval?
May I return it at a future date?
Under what conditions?

Some dealers will hold your check for a day or two, while you try the piece(s) to be sure that you are happy with it/them. Seek a dealer who has this policy. Remember that even the most beautiful antique could, at times, look inappropriate when placed in different surroundings.
Be aware, however, that rarely will a dealer take back an antique a long time after it was purchased--say when you are moving, redecorating, or upgrading your collection.
A return policy, when offered, will allow you future flexibility. Ask if you may return the piece for store credit, or cash? If a dealer never wants to see his/her merchandise again, be suspicious--ask 'why?'

Choose your dealer as carefully as you select your antiques. If your dealer has a reputation for integrity, knowledge and good taste, you are on your way to enriching your life with fine antiques.